Progress report on Capsule Challenge - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

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Progress report on Capsule Challenge

Joy

Veteran

Progress so far is that I did a neutral shoe/ boot/bag inventory and found that I need to look for several items: a small cognac bag, small dark (black and dark brown) bag, and shoes, medium flat brown boots/booties and possible tote, large white bag, everything in honey and tan but have straw for summer, all ok for taupe and black, need a smell navy bag. Leather jackets and coats are black, dark brown, dove grey and taupe. I have a white and a navy long puffer. And a short grey puffer. I need a variety of brown socks but have black and greys.

Appreciated are your thoughts. Are prints ok? Colors that are the same depth but not quite the same color…like grey or brown with olive or lighter browns, black with navy, gold with honey or toffee brown?

Dressing

24 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

Ginger

Veteran

Prints are tricky for me; most of them wouldn't fill in as part of a capsule of solid colors. Unless they were something small or low-key and "read" from a distance as pretty much the same as that color.

For the other combinations, I'd consider them part of the capsule if I'd wear them happily with the same main wardrobe items. So black and navy would be similar for me. Gold and honey or toffee probably as well. I think it's up to you how particular you'd be. If there's a coat that you only want to wear with, say, olive, and it's orphaned without having mostly olive accessories, then maybe you could use a strictly olive category.

But I'm probably not the right person to be answering this question. I tend to get lost in the details and finding just the right combination for every single garment I wear!

Anonymous

How about scarves, gloves, hats, jewelry, masks, belts, glasses, etc? Are any of those in those neutrals too?

Runcarla

Veteran

I’m glad for this challenge, and like you, I’ve discovered that what I actually need to do is acquire some accessories rather than new garments! If you have mostly solids, and few well chosen prints or patterns can work to bring all the pieces together.

rachylou

Veteran

Wait… what sort if items are you thinking might have prints?

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am always in favor of prints - not sure what you mean by are they ok? For the challenge? For your coats? It is probably me needing more coffee .

Joy

Veteran

Thank you Shevia. Sometimes I wonder if my outfits would be better with less print and more sleek, especially in winter.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Joy, you are a natural and effective pattern mixer. I wouldn't worry about your pattern-rich wardrobe!

Joy

Veteran

Thank you, Angie. Pattern mixing makes me happy. I feel I have moved toward what might be thought of as too much color, pattern, texture and contrast.

Bijou

Veteran

Joy, I happy wear completely matching items together and also deliberately mismatched - I think it depends upon the vibe you want to give. I actually like being able to play around being in both teams: Team Matchy-Matchy and Team Contrast.

For example, I have the following items in the same plaid that totally match: handbag, shirt, scarf and dress

Other times, I enjoy wearing colours that harmonise, but are not matching (such as the pink slide with the turquoise bag), which reads more interesting to me than having a perfectly matched bag and shoe.

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Joy

Veteran

Thank you Bijou. The blouse and scarf make sort of a twin set together. I agree that it is fun to be able match and mismatch wardrobe items. You are wise. There is room for both.

Joy

Veteran

I think I will make light and warm neutrals my color for the year.
Suntiger, I need to pay attention to jewelry and want to collect flower brooches, especially daisies, for spring. If successful I will add groupings for each season, dragonflies, leaves, snowflakes. I need to take an inventory of what I have.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Joy, then no harm on focusing on solids for a while

Joy

Veteran

Angie right now most of my winter things are solid, so I may focus on mixing neutrals with colors, all or most are solids. I am especially focused on using red with black and white or grey.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I like patterns for winter! We have so much more fabric on our bodies; why should all of it be the same?

For Christmas, I got my sister a brooch and a necklace that have real pansies in them.

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Joy

Veteran

Thank you , Stag. You are right. We do wear more layers in cold weather. By winters end I am wearing printed cardigans over a different print and maybe a third print in a scarf.

Pansies are so pretty. Your sister will cherish hers.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Ooh, prints! My answer to that is, YES, and you'll know it's right when you see it. The right print bag can tick off multiple color capsules at once.

Joy

Veteran

Mary Beth, you are so right. Today I looked at all the shades of brown in a couple of bags and realized that I do not need to buy new larger bags. The same might happen when I look at footwear. Thank you for pointing this out.

Joy

Veteran

Progress report on socks. There is no progress. I am sorely lacking the right socks in the numbers I need, especially olive (I have one pair of cotton ones but want 4 pair of olive smart wool. I have adequate dark brown, black and grey but not blue shades, reds, orange, citron and lime green, white, and mustard. Mens sock are too big for my feet. Where should I look?

Staysfit

Veteran

Joy, for wool socks check darn tough. Sometimes they have solid colors and when they do, the quality is excellent. I like them better than smart wool. I have also had good luck with Wolford merino wool socks, they are pricey, fairly thin but they wear like iron. I have some that are 9 years old, used regularly, and still going strong. I am not sure if they have olive…..

I wonder if you can find some patterns that make use of more than one of the neutrals you like so items can switch between capsules?

Joy

Veteran

Thank you, Stays fit, I will check those venders. I have some patterned socks with multicolors bought in desperation, a bundle of floral socks from Amazon have socks that include bits of orange, mustard and olive but the colors do not show up much. I also have some striped socks and some that look like a rainbow piano keyboard but overall are too dark. Almost all my grey and blue socks are patterned with sheep or dogs, polka dots or random designs.

Joy

Veteran

Progress report continued. I did an inventory of capsule items to go with my warm coats. By capsule items I mean boots or booties, a hat, gloves, scarf and a tote bag.

What is filled: blush, black, white.
what is needed: any tall boots that will fit my slim calves except black and dark brown, and taupe Would like navy and white or any light neutral. Orange: I need it all. Bright pink : hat and gloves most.
Olive: need it all. light tan: all but gloves. dark navy: all but gloves and booties. Grey: ( do not have a grey coat but grey accessories are useful ) boots Chocolate brown: gloves, replacement booties, hat. I do have scarves that are a mix of colors that look ok with olive, orange, navy and bright pink. I appreciate your help in locating some or any of the missing pieces. My olive coat has an off white faux fur collar so I usually wear white with it. My navy puffer is very dark an looks black in low light, so I usually end up wearing black or white to lighten things up.
I like gloves that will fit in a pocket and appropriate for driving. Techie sensors on the fingers never work for me. Half the time my fingers don’t work on a touch screen.

Joy

Veteran

Brooches :I do not have many at all and need more flowers, hearts and snowflakes to finish groupings of 3. I want dragonflies, leaves, and especially groupings of spring flowers like tulips or daffodils. I would like to make groupings of certain flowers like daisies and roses. Dragons would be great.

What types of brooches do you like?

cat2

Veteran

Joy, I found that searching for Women’s Trouser Socks pulls up solid or lightly cabled options, and might be a way to avoid having to wade through the dreadful novelty socks.

Joy

Veteran

Thank you for the tip, cat2. I appreciate that after I spent a lot of time wading though a Bombas ad today.